Rural Development Programs in Slovakia Short report by Daniel Lešinský CEPTA - Centre for Sustainable Alternatives

RDPs in Slovakia Daniel Lešinský, CEPTA - inhab.: 5,4 mil - area: 4,9 mil ha = 109 inhab./km² - 50% ihab. live in rural areas - agriland: 49,7% - forests: 40,8% - altitude: 64 - 2 655 m.a.s.l RDPs in Slovakia Daniel Lešinský, CEPTA

RDPs in Slovakia Daniel Lešinský, CEPTA RDP 2007 – 2013 in Slovakia creation period – partnership principle? budget development (2nd axis) – 2005 = 62%, 2006 – 52%; 2007 – 48,5% (AE+FE – only 14,4%) 24 measures in Slovak RDP 2007-13: 1. LFA – 26,84% (II. axis) 2. Farm modernization – 16,25% (I. axis) 3. AE measures (10 sub-measures) – 13,7% (II. axis) 4. Increasing the added value of products – 7,98% (I. axis) 5. Diversification towards non-agricultural activities – 4,77% (III. axis) ! 18. Forest-environmental measures – 0,69% (II. axis) 22. Natura 2000 and WFD – 0,07% (II. axis) = NO 23. Natura 2000 in Forests – 0,07% (II. axis) = NO 24. Semi-subsistent farms – 0,05% (I. axis) RDPs in Slovakia Daniel Lešinský, CEPTA

RDPs in Slovakia Daniel Lešinský, CEPTA RDP 2007 – 2013 in Slovakia problems -1 : - rural abandonment - LFA – keeping the country but for what costs and what results (in Slovakia)? - 2nd axis, protection of rural - green areas. Moving the abandoned meadows? (oil…). Conservation or succession? – for discussion RDPs in Slovakia Daniel Lešinský, CEPTA

RDPs in Slovakia Daniel Lešinský, CEPTA RDP in Slovakia problems -2 : - Minimum support for sustainable forestry (despite 40% of SK area) - Bureaucratic obstacles – money after more than 1 year after the application = administration is absolutely insufficient // per-payments - Enviro impact of all axes not just II-nd. The (actual) need: As horizontal principle, implementation of 1-3 axis +L missing eco/enviro criteria / conditions for selections of recipients EU funds. Positive example: measure – „Increasing added value of forests“ (Natura areas 60%, other 50% financing) RDPs in Slovakia Daniel Lešinský, CEPTA

RDPs in Slovakia Daniel Lešinský, CEPTA RDP 2007 – 2013 in Slovakia problems -3 - Integrated production (IP) – need but not cheat, (clear pro-environmental standards, clear public-interests targets, as 0 pesticides / agro-chemicals residues in food and water) versus organic - Biofuels, bio-enegy! - aforestration (intensity!) – we need clear standards for sustainable getting of biomass (dendromass, phytomass + other agri-sources) - tobacco subsidies, tobacco sector!!! RDPs in Slovakia Daniel Lešinský, CEPTA

Thank you for your attention

High Tatras, national peak - Krivaň